With Love
by BlairWitchley
Summary: A school assignment helps Cerise find comfort in a new friend.
1. The Assignment

**A/N:**

**Hello all!**  
><strong>My name is Blair, and this is my first attempt at fanfiction. I've also picked a crossover, so I'm not sure how well this will go.<strong>  
><strong>Please bear with me, and let me know if I can improve anything!<strong>  
><strong>Without further ado, I give you... <em>With Love<em>**

**Chapter One  
><span>The Assignment**

_Ever After High_

Milton Grimm hesitantly picked up his phone, and pushed each button slowly, as if any of them might be some kind of trigger for a horrific explosion. Finally, he ran out of numbers (thankfully with no explosions of any kind), and he began to rap his fingers on the fine wooden desk as it dialled.

_'Hello?_'

'Ah, yes, this is Milton Grimm, the Headmaster of Ever After High?'

'_Milton Grimm? There's a name I haven't heard for a few decades. To what do I owe the pleasure, Headmaster?'_

'I have a proposition for you, educator to educator…' Milton began. He heard the woman's voice on the other end of the line chuckle.

'_I'm listening…'_

_. . ._

Cerise was flying through the trees, much faster than she had ever dared to go. But tonight was a special night. The moon illuminated everything, casting a milky glow on the forest and the dark shadows that Ever After High cast on her surroundings. Her hood completely forgotten, Cerise felt free and happy enough to let out a loud whoop.

She skidded to a halt, trying to catch her breath. She ran her fingers through her hair, and brushed over the soft fur of her ears – something that made her who she was, and yet such a big secret.

So many secrets.

'Cerise?'

Her heart stopped. She couldn't have been followed. She was listening for anyone tailing her. Cerise spun around, looking for the source of the voice.

'Cerise? We're gonna be late…'

Cerise Hood woke in her dorm room, with an anxious Cedar poised over her.

'What?'

'We're gonna be really late, there's that seminar thing today, remember?' Cedar reminded her, and Cerise sat up, taking special care that her hood remained up.

'Sorry…' she mumbled.

'You really take your destiny seriously, don't you Cerise?'

'How do you mean?'

'Well… you never take that hood off. You must really look forward to signing the Storybook of Legends, huh?'

Cerise hated lying to Cedar - probably because she was so honest and sweet. Of course, she was cursed that way, but that wasn't the point. Cedar was a good friend of hers.

'Yeah, so excited,' Cerise replied. Cedar left to give her some privacy, and Cerise fought the urge to go back to sleep.

Cerise found a seat between Raven and Cedar, and pulled out her notebook. She wasn't in a good mood, after her hexcellent dream being interrupted. Professor Nimble stood before the class, a big glass bowl in his hands. There were small, neatly folded pieces of paper inside the bowl, which put Cerise's mind into curiosity mode.

'Maybe we need partners?' Cedar offered, and Cerise merely shrugged in reply.

'Settle down, everyone. Settle, please. I'm sure you're all wondering why we've brought you all here this morning instead of your usual classes? Well, Headmaster Grimm and myself have decided that you need to be able to interact with people other than the students here at Ever After High-'

'Are we taking an excursion to the Human World?' asked Briar excitedly.

'Of course not, Miss Beauty, that would be disastrous. You are, however, going to be corresponding with a pen pal for the remainder of the year.'

Excited chatter broke out amongst the students, and Cerise felt her heart drop. She wasn't overly good at making friends in person, never mind on paper.

'So, as I call your names, I would like for you to come and pull a name from this bowl, and that will be the name of your new pen pal. You will have the rest of this session to draft your first letter to your pen pal, and from then on you will correspond every week, with the last half hour of your literature class with myself dedicated to these letters.'

'Is this compulsory?' Cerise asked, flicking her hand in the air. Professor Nimble nodded.

'Yes it is, sorry Cerise. Anyone who has not drafted a proper letter before the send off date will receive a detention and will be required to write an apology letter in addition to the usual one. Now, can I get you all lined up in an orderly fashion, and we'll start pulling these names!'

Cerise felt more and more uncomfortable the closer she got to that awful glass bowl. Finally it was her turn, and she stuck her hand in, swirling it around for good measure. She plucked a single card out of the bowl, and opened it up.

_Clawdeen Wolf._

Oh, the irony, she thought as she handed it to Professor Nimble so he could write it down. She moved over to her friends with a heavy feeling in her stomach.

'Who did you get, Cerise?'

'Oh, um, Clawdeen… weird name,' she replied, tucking the paper in her pocket.

'I got Abbey Bominable,' Cedar said, a wide grin on her face.

'Frankie,' Raven said, examining her page. 'D'you reckon that's a girl or a boy?'

'I have Ghoulia!' Maddie chirped, ignoring Raven's question. 'Oh, this is going to be hat-tastic! Do you think she knows Riddlish?'

Cerise let them continue their conversation without her. She felt sorry for this Clawdeen Wolf. She was going to be so disappointed when she realised that Cerise wasn't a very good penpal.

'Miss Hood, I have yet to receive your penpal letter. Everyone else is long finished…' Professor Nimble said with a warm smile. Cerise looked around to see all of her classmates packing up their things. She stared down at her blank page with a frown.

'I don't think this is really my thing, Professor…' she confessed.

'Just write down a little about yourself. The first step is always the hardest, Cerise. I'm expecting that letter by three this afternoon, okay?'

She nodded, grateful for the small extension, and scooped up her things.

At lunch, she barely touched her food, and although they tried to help her, none of her friends gave her any really good ideas for what to write. In the end, she scribbled out something that she knew Professor Nimble wouldn't be too proud of, and dropped it on his desk.

_~  
>Monster High<em>

'Are they here yet?' Frankie asked, sparking with anticipation. When they'd been told that they would be receiving pen pal letters, the whole class had been dying to receive them. They hadn't been told anything about where they came from, only that they weren't Normies, and that they were sort of like a sister school.

'I think so! Look!' Draculaura pointed to the small box that Professor Rotter carried.

'When I call your name, come and collect your letters, please. Clawdeen Wolf?'

Clawdeen grinned a toothy grin at being the first to receive her letter. She didn't even wait to get back to her seat before tearing it open. The letter itself wasn't long, but she noted the handwriting was very neat, even if it did look like it was written in a hurry.

_To Clawdeen,  
>Firstly, I apologise. I'm really bad at this sorta stuff, and I'm not really sure what to write to you, or even what the purpose of this pen pal thing is. Not that I don't want a penpal, it's just that I'm really very plain, and I'm sure you'd much rather write to someone more exciting after reading a few of my letters.<br>I'd totally understand. I'm so sorry I can't think of anything else.  
>from Cerise.<em>

Clawdeen read it through a few times. It was so short, it didn't take long for her to memorise it.

'Professor Rotter?' she called.

'Yes?'

'When do we need to have written a reply?'

'They will be sent away this time next week…'

Clawdeen read her letter through one more time, then picked up her pen.

'Dear… Cerise…'


	2. The Reply

**Chapter Two  
><strong>**The Reply**

_Ever After High_

Cerise was miserable. Her window for signing the Storybook of Legends was closing fast, and everyone wondered why she hadn't done it yet. She'd made it very clear that she identified as a Rebel, although no one really knew why. Headmaster Grimm had also started dropping hints that he needed her to sign. Cerise was sure that he was worried that he was losing control of the school.

Her friends never pried or pushed her into joining them for things. Only Raven knew the truth, and she had never mentioned it to anyone, but it didn't stop her trying to cheer the wolf girl up.

'Hey Cerise… we're going to get a Hocus Latte… you wanna come?' Raven had asked one morning, but Cerise denied politely, and quietly turned back to her study.

'Well… if you change your mind, you know where we are, okay?'

'Okay Raven. Thanks…' Cerise replied without looking up. They left, and once the door was shut, Cerise heard Cedar tell Raven how worried she was. Super human hearing could be a curse sometimes. She snapped her book shut with a sigh.

Her phone vibrating made her jump, and Hunter Huntsman's face grinned at her from the screen. She hesitated before clicking to answer.

'Hello?'

'_Hi Cerise, it's Hunter_,'

'Hi Hunter, what's up?'

'_We were just wondering… you really saved our tails in that bookball match against the giants. Have you thought of signing up for the team permanently?'_

Cerise chewed her lip at the thought. It would give her something to take her mind off of her impending destiny, but it could be dangerous. If anyone else found out… the bookball team was riddled with Royals. And she knew that Sparrow couldn't keep a secret if you paid him to.

'_Cerise?_'

'Sorry… um. I'm really not sure… it's a pretty rough sport after all…'

'_You weren't too concerned when we were playing the giants,_'

'Yeah, I know, I just-'

'_Maybe just come to a practice and you can make your choice then?_'

Cerise sighed, and grabbed her boots.

'Yeah, I'm on my way,' she muttered, pulling on her boots one handed. She barely heard Hunter's thanks before she hung up and chucked her phone in her bag. Pulling her hood tighter around her head, she left her room and headed for the bookball field.

The whole team was there already when she arrived, and she cast her eyes downward as Daring flashed her his signature smile. She hadn't really spoken to him since he asked to dance with her at Thronecoming. It had been magical, but he was a Royal. And Royals followed their destinies, which meant that he would marry Apple in the end.

. . .

'Hey guys,'

'Cerise, we've had a team meeting, and we've decided that we'd like to invite you to join the team. You don't even have to try out,' Daring told her, holding out the uniform. Cerise crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

'What happened to me being a damsel in distress?' she asked.

'You certainly changed my opinion there…' he said with a sheepish grin. The others pleaded with their eyes for her to take the uniform. She gave it a once-over. No hood. No helmet. Her heart sank.

'I… can you give me some time to… um, think about it?' she asked, and Daring's face fell slightly.

'Of course, we don't want to push you into playing…'

'But we could really use your help Cerise!' Dexter piped up. She gave him a small smile.

'Thanks guys. I'll see you in class.'

'Your pen pal letters have arrived!' Professor Nimble declared, dropping the box on his desk. The students burst into excited chatter, and Cerise groaned. She'd forgotten all about the stupid pen pal thing.

'When I call your name, come and get them! Briar Beauty, Ashlynn Ella… Sparrow Hood… Kitty Cheshire… Apple… Cerise…'

Cerise took her letter and sat back in her seat to open it.

_Dear Cerise,  
>Thanks for writing to me! I promise this penpal thing won't be too much of a bore. Maybe we could get to know each other a little better. We might even end up being good friends! My name is Clawdeen, I love fashion more than anything (except my family and beast ghoulfriends, of course!) and I hope to have my own fur-rific line one day. I have a huge family, but luckily only two go to school with me - my older brother Clawd and my little sister, Howleen. Clawd can generally keep himself out of trouble, but I think Howleen struggles a bit with school and popularity. I try to look out for her but I don't think she really wants my help. My beast ghoulfriends ever are Draculaura and Frankie, and we're on the fear squad together with another one of our friends, Cleo. <em>

_I eagerly await your next letter!  
>Clawdeen x<em>

Cerise was surprised at how her penpal had managed to fill a whole page with writing. Her handwriting was neat, and her name was signed with a big loop and a little x for kisses. She looked around, and most of the students were penning a reply already. Deciding to get it over and done with, Cerise also pulled a fresh piece of paper towards her.

Cerise put her pen down just as Professor Nimble dismissed them. She slipped the letter into an envelope, wrote Clawdeen's name on the front and followed Cedar down the front. She handed it to Nimble, who gave her an encouraging smile, obviously pleased that she had finished on time.

She turned to see her friends waiting for her.

'You wanna get a latte?' Raven asked, and Cerise thought briefly before nodding.

'Yeah, that'd be cool,' she replied. Maddie clapped her hands together (even though she couldn't stand coffee, being an avid tea drinker) and led the group down to the store. Cerise rolled her eyes, and followed with a small smile.

~  
><em>Monster High<em>

'Can you maybe not do that in my presence…' Clawdeen said with a smirk, pushing her way in between Clawd and Draculaura. She opened her locker and pulled her Dead Languages books out before checking her hair. Freaky fabulous, as usual.

'I thought you were okay with it!' Draculaura squeaked, and Clawdeen flashed her a toothy grin.

'Just teasing, ghoulfriend…' she winked. Draculaura sighed with relief.

'Apparently we get our letters today,' announced Cleo as she approached. 'I, for one, am eager to find out what my pen pal thinks of being in correspondence with _the_ Cleo De Nile…'

'I highly doubt that she'll know who _the _Cleo De Nile is, sorry to burst your bubble,' Clawdeen told her.

'How could she not? Stories of my brilliance are told all across the world…'

Clawdeen rolled her eyes and shut her locker. Ghoulia moaned and Cleo laughed.

'That's right. You ghouls should read Ghoulia's letters. Her penpal is actually mad! None of it makes any sense,' she said. Ghoulia frowned.

'I'm sure someone as smart as Ghoulia can crack the code…' Frankie said warmly, and Ghoulia groaned her thanks.

The group made their way to class, where Mr Rotter was waiting with that familiar box. The students collected their letters on their way to their seats, and all was quiet save for the rustling of pages.

_To Clawdeen.  
>I'm sorry again if this is short.<br>I don't have any siblings. Most of the kids at this school are only children. I think a big brother or younger sister would be okay though. You'd always have someone to talk to, or go to with any secrets or problems. My best friends forever after are Raven, Maddie and Cedar. Cedar is also my roommate. I'm not so close to anyone that I would spill all my secrets, but Raven knows a pretty big one and she hasn't told anyone, so I guess that makes us friends. She's pretty cool. She believes in herself and she'll fight to control her own life. I wish I could be more like her.  
>Sorry, I'm probably boring you. Until next week.<br>From Cerise. _

Clawdeen grinned happily. It wasn't the two or three pages that Ghoulia's penpal had written, but it was a start. She was determined to make this experience the best possible for Cerise. She sounded like someone who needed some friends.

As her letter was the shortest, Clawdeen was able to start penning a reply before anyone else. Mr Rotter seemed very pleased with her enthusiasm.


	3. The Talk

**Chapter Three  
><strong>**The Talk**

_Ever After High_

Cerise wished that her hood wasn't so bright and noticeable. She hadn't been able to go anywhere without Dexter or Hunter or Sparrow assaulting her about the bookball team. They just didn't understand why she couldn't play. Daring hadn't said anything to her, but every time their eyes met, he was still asking the question silently.

Why won't you just come and be part of the team?

She was sneaking down a rarely used corridor when she bumped into someone much taller than herself.

'Da… Mr Bad Wolf… sorry, I didn't see you,' she apologised. Her father smiled down at her, and he put a hand on her shoulder.

'It's alright. I've actually been looking for you, so I'm glad I found you. Would you come to my office for a moment?' he asked, and Cerise nodded.

He sat down at his desk, and she sat opposite him. As he had locked his office door, she threw off her hood with a grin. Her father smiled sadly at her.

'Cerise, a few of your teachers are worried about you. Friends too, apparently. They say you've been distant and I just wanted to make sure you're alright.'

'I'm okay,' Cerise began. 'I think it's just Legacy Day getting to me. Everyone wants me to be the next Little Red Riding Hood, like mum, but I don't think I could sign my life away before I really knew who I was. Am I even fit to be the next Red?'

The wolf sighed.

'We always worried about Legacy Day, if you would be able to cope with it. Your mum and I, we never meant to put all of this on you, Cerise,' he said. Cerise got to her feet.

'Don't be ridiculous! You and mum are the best parents any girl could have asked for. It's _me_. Something's wrong with _me _and I don't know what to do. I can't sign that book. I know that deep down in my heart. I'm not like Apple or Briar or Ashlynn. They're beautiful and perfect and they're going to grow up and marry princes and rule kingdoms. And they're going to be _good_ at it. I can't be scared of the wolf like Red is supposed to be… I can't let them kill the wolf at the end of the story. The wolves are more my family than anyone here at Ever After High!' she gripped at her hair in frustration, and collapsed back into her chair.

Her father surveyed her carefully.

'Cerise… if you can't sign that book, then don't sign it. I don't want you changing who you are to please other people. And I'll have you know that your mother wasn't exactly… scared of me either. I think she finds me charming…'

Cerise giggled as he winked at her. He always knew how to cheer her up.

'I don't want you and mum to get in trouble. Or disappear. Headmaster Grimm says that everyone in Raven's story is going to vanish because she didn't sign the book…'

'Headmaster Grimm can eat pixie dust for all I care. Your mother and I would gladly vanish if it meant you weren't forced into doing something you didn't want to do,' her father said, placing a large paw on her head.

'Thanks dad,'

'Now get going. Oh, and please sign up for the bookball team. If I get Coach Gingerbread in here again complaining, I'm going to snap and eat everyone.'

'But my ears…'

'I'll have a uniform made especially for you, pet. Now scram,' he said affectionately. Cerise pulled up her hood, and with a new spring in her step headed towards her next class. On her way up to her seat, she stopped beside Daring and Hopper.

'I'll join the team,' she said, and Daring's face lit up. Or maybe just his teeth. She wasn't sure, but it blinded her a little.

'That's fantastic, thank you!'

She nodded, and headed up to her seat beside Cedar and Raven.

'What did Daring want?' Cedar asked.

'I'm joining the bookball team,' Cerise said matter-of-factly. Raven gave her an approving look.

'They definitely need it,' she grinned. Cerise grinned back. She could handle this.

'I have letters for you!' Professor Nimble announced. For once, Cerise wasn't apprehensive about her letter. Her chat with her father had put her in a rare good mood.

_Dear Cerise.  
>If you're that desperate for siblings, I can totally give you one of mine. Or two or three. Have all of them. I'll send them along with my next letter. Also, it's totally cool that you have roommates! MH isn't a boarding school, we all go home afterwards. I think it would be awesome. You wouldn't have anyone trying to steal your clothes, or fights over who has to do the laundry. Does your school have a fear squad? I know that can do wonders for your confidence. Or maybe playing sports? I love sport almost as much as I love fashion and art. I'm not trying to be patronising or anything… just trying to help.<br>Until next week  
>Clawdeen x<em>

_PS: If you wanted, you could always talk to me if you're having a hard time. These letters are totally confidential. Just a thought. xx_

Cerise found herself smiling slightly as she read. She tucked the letter into the folder she'd been given to store them all, and began to pen her next one.

~  
><em>Monster High<em>

Clawdeen glared as a group of boys stared at her in her fearleading uniform. She knew it was fabulous, but she wasn't interested in dating anyone, and she didn't like the way they were looking at her. It made her fur stand on end. She slammed her locker and growled a warning at them, making them scatter.

'Not picking on younger students are we, Miss Wolf?'

Clawdeen turned to see Mr Rotter, the letter box under his arm, obviously on his way to class.

'Nothing they don't deserve sir,' she replied honestly, making him chuckle.

'You'll be late for class if you don't hurry…' he told her. A thought occurred as he was walking away.

'Sir? Am I allowed to send other things to my penpal? Like, drawings, photos, that kinda stuff?'

Mr Rotter paused for a moment.

'I don't see why not. But please take care. Your penpals are not aware of Monster High's existence, and we wouldn't want to give anything away. Photos probably aren't a good idea if their subjects have obviously not human features. Ears, for example,' he said, his eyes flicking up to her own ears. She hadn't thought of that, but had a good idea nonetheless.

_To Clawdeen.  
>Our school doesn't have a fear squad… but I have just signed up for the bookball team. I'm the only girl on the team, so I'm having a special uniform made up for me, but the team really needs a win or two. And I don't think I could hide any people in my dorm room. Cedar would notice, and Cedar isn't very good at keeping secrets. Especially more than one! As for sharing clothes and things, we all have our own sort of fashion styles. If a dress or something was found in the hallway you could probably tell whose it was just by looking. Cedar likes these cute little pink or purple dresses, and they often have splinters in them anyway. Raven likes purple and silver and black. Maddie likes blue and purple. You can generally work it out.<br>Thanks for the offer. I might end up taking you up on it, if everything gets too hectic, or if bookball falls through. I'm a bit worried that might happen.  
>Until next time!<br>From Cerise_

Clawdeen grinned. It was the first letter she had received that Cerise hadn't apologised for boring her, or for writing a short letter. She hoped that whatever was bothering Cerise was perhaps coming to an end. The idea comforted her, somehow. She pulled out her iCoffin (very sneakily, as Rotter hated the sight of them in his class) and shot a text to Howleen. Once the reply had come through, she threw her hand in the air.

'Yes Clawdeen?'

'Is it cool if I hand in my letter for posting tomorrow?' she asked.

'As long as it's before the final bell, that should be fine,' he replied.

Clawdeen started drafting out her letter, but she was distracted. Hopefully Cerise had a sense of humour like her own, and would like this very special gift.

**A/N: I thought I'd write a little something something in here, to say hi.  
>This story isn't wildly popular, but that's okay. I hope that whoever is reading it enjoys it, because it is awful fun to write. <strong>  
><strong>Also, I have added six new dolls to my EAH collection this week, with Signature Kitty, Ashlynn, Hunter, Dexter, Poppy and Holly.<strong>  
><strong>While Cerise is my favourite character, I must admit that Holly is just the most stunning doll ever after!<br>Read & Review!  
>Blair ~<strong>


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